Method and apparatus for sorting timber pieces

Abstract

Method and apparatus for sorting timber pieces as the same are transversely conveyed include for each timber piece, pairs of supporting members, each including a hook arm and an adjacent straight arm supported by a respective support member mounted on the conveyor. The straight arm forms a part of an angular arm member which is supported both on the support member to which the hook arm is fixed and to the support member which precedes that support member in the direction of travel of the conveyor. The timber pieces are dropped in accordance with a preset program through the movement of the hook and straight arms relative to each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for sorting timber pieces comprising: endless conveyer means; a plurality of elongate support members mounted on said conveyer means extending transversely to the direction of travel of said conveyer means, substantially equally spaced from one another in the direction of travel, and freely rotatable about their respective longitudinal axes; at least two hook arms fixed to each of said support members for rotation therewith, each hook arm having a stop portion at a free end thereof for supporting a timber piece; at least one angular arm member mounted on each of said support members, each angular arm member including a stem portion having a free end mounted for free rotation on a respective support member, an angular portion extending from said stem portion, and a straight arm extending from said angular portion into operative relationship with said hook arms fixed to a succeeding support member in the direction of travel of said conveyer means, said angular arm members being in supported engagement in the region of said angular portion thereof with said succeeding support members; and means for rotating each of said support members upon the same reaching a predetermined location along its path of travel to thereby rotate said hook arms fixed thereto relative to said straight arms. 
     
     
       2. The combination of claim 1 wherein at least two angular arm members are mounted for free rotation on each of said support members and wherein for each support member, each straight arm of an angular arm member mounted on a preceding support member is located adjacent to a respective hook arm fixed for rotation on said support member. 
     
     
       3. The combination of claim 2 wherein each pair of adjacent straight and hook arms are adapted to cooperate to support a timber piece along respective edges thereof. 
     
     
       4. The combination of claim 2 further including means for rotating each of said angular arm members upon a respective adjacent hook arm being rotated. 
     
     
       5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said rotating means for an angular arm member mounted on a support member is situated on the succeeding support member in the direction of travel of a conveyer means. 
     
     
       6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said rotating means comprises cam means provided on said support members adapted to engage said angular arm members upon rotation of said support members and hook arms fixed thereto in a downward direction for rotating the straight arm thereof in an upward direction. 
     
     
       7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said cam means are adapted to engage said angular portions of said angular arm members. 
     
     
       8. The combination of claim 5 wherein said rotating means comprise cam means provided on said support members adapted to engage said angular arm members while respective pairs of adjacent straight and hook arms are in a timber carrying or transporting position so that the angular portions of said angular arm members supported by said cam means are spaced from said supporting member, said cam means being formed such that upon rotation of said support member and hook arms fixed thereto in a downward direction, said cam means will rotate out of engagement with said angular arm members whereby said straight arm thereof will rotate in a downward direction over a relatively small distance. 
     
     
       9. A method of sorting timber pieces as the same are conveyed by a conveyer having a plurality of support members associated therewith which extend transversely to the direction in which the timber pieces are conveyed, comprising the steps of: supporting a plurality of timber pieces on the conveyer so that each extends transversely to the direction of conveyance, each timber piece being supported by pairs of supporting members, each pair comprising a hook arm and a straight arm of an angular arm member, the hook arm and angular arm member being supported on the same support member and the angular arm member being additionally supported on the support member of a preceding pair of supporting members in the direction of conveyance; conveying the timber pieces with each timber piece extending transversely to the direction in which it is being conveyed; and dropping each of the timber pieces at a selected location by moving the hook and straight arms relative to each other through rotation of the support member supporting the same. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9 wherein each hook arm is fixed on a respective support member and each angular arm member whose straight arm comprises a pair of supporting members with said hook member is freely turnably mounted on a preceding support member in the direction in which the timber pieces are being conveyed. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 wherein said dropping step includes rotating a respective support member to rotate hook members fixed thereto while said straight arm remains fixed. 
     
     
       12. The combination of claim 10 wherein said dropping step includes rotating a respective straight arm while said hook arm remains fixed. 
     
     
       13. The combination of claim 10 wherein said dropping step includes rotating a respective support member to rotate hook arms fixed thereto in a downward direction and simultaneously rotating corresponding straight arms upwardly. 
     
     
       14. The combination of claim 10 wherein said dropping step includes rotating a respective support member to rotate hook arms fixed thereto in a downward direction and simultaneously rotating corresponding straight arms downwardly to a lesser extent.